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  Frequently Asked Permit Questions 

For further assistance, please contact the Public Works Administration office at 308-385-5455 or via email at pwpermitting@grand-island.com.     

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Public Easement vs. Public Right-of-Way

A public easement is dedicated for a specific purpose, with the piece of land designated as such and still owned by the property owner.  The land is private and only accessible for a specific purpose by authorized personnel.  Examples of such designation are electrical lines, sanitary sewer main, storm sewer main, etc.

Public Right-of-Way is property owned by the City, which must remain available for public use at all times.  Examples of such are sidewalk, alley, roadway, etc.

Any obstructions or encroachments to either a public easement or public right-of-way require a thorough review and decision by the appropriate City officials prior to any changes taking place.  The requirement of City approval, via a License Agreement, prior to placement of any obstructions or encroachments is addressed in City Code Section 32-69, with subdivision agreements stating obstructions and encroachments are not permissible.

For timely response of infrastructure maintenance and repairs all public easements must remain open and accessible to designated personnel at all times.  An example of an immediate need for access through a public easement is in the event of a sanitary sewer backup, which requires quick action by City personnel to isolate the issue and prevent any further sewage backup into homes.